Little Bags

It's embarrassing to admit this but, for the last few years my go-to bag of choice has been a free canvas tote I picked up from a press day. I'm not going to lie, it's gross. Old and faded, it's the antithesis to grown-up-chic.

It's not that I don't have any other bags. I've got a bunch of little clutches and an array of roomy leather totes. But they all feel a bit dated and they aren't at all what I want to carry. As it turns out, clutches suck because it's actually nice to use your hands every once in a while. Plus, all I really carry around are my keys, wallet and phone - which makes lugging around a massive bag pretty silly because all that empty space means items get lost.

As a result off all this disenchantment I've started a world-wide search for the perfect little everyday bag. The requirements are as follows: it should be small, have a long strap so that it can be worn across the body and be discreet in design.

There are a lot of options. The most lust-worthy is the Delvaux Madame Mini. This bag is heavenly and pretty much perfection incarnate. Alternatively, there is the Celine Classic Medium in Box Cassis - I've drooled over this beauty from afar many times. Both are the epitome of luxury and would no doubt be the sort of item I'd pass down to my future daughter (or son). Other options I've come across include the Louis Vuitton Vivienne (although I think the branding may be a bit too brash), the Givenchy Obsedia and the Saint Laurent Lulu. All are beautiful and timeless. Then again, there is always the obvious choice of a Chanel Boy Bag, but I'm afraid this one has become a bit too trendy for its own good.

Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that each of those aforementioned bags costs more than my monthly rent and that just seems a bit ridiculous, no? So, in the interest of having a roof over my head, I'm considering more realistic options. I've found two choices that stand out most to me. First is the Sophie Hulme Mini Envelope Bag. This is a pretty sweet option and I'm kind of loving the deep burgundy colour. There's also the Little Liffner LBB bag which looks pretty good and classic from the photos. I'm also drawn to these two options because they're made by small lesser known designers and I'm all for supporting new talent.

It's hard to know which the best one is though or which would slide most easily into my life. But one thing I know for certain, I'm hoping to find one under the Christmas tree with a big red bow tied around it.

What are your thoughts? Do you carry a little bag? Have you found the perfect one? Please, enlighten me with your wisdom.